Raging Storm
by xxScruffzPupzxx
Summary: Rising darkness is falling on DawnClan as a strange Tribe comes to the forest, seeking their help and claiming to have been driven out of their territory. Mellowpaw finds herself torn between two toms - one from the Tribe, and one from her own Clan.
1. Allegiances

**Disclaimer:** I do not own warriors!

Hi! I am new to FanFiction and this is my first Fanfic so please be supportive! Please Read and Review!

_Puppyscruffy_

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****DawnClan - **

**Leader: **

Stonestar - large solid gray tom with amber eyes

**Deputy:**

Swiftclaw - white and black tom with green eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Cinderpool - small pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Warriors:**

Dancingwolf - longhaired gray-brown she-cat with yellow eyes

Littlelegs - small white and black she-cat with green eyes

_Apprentice, Kestrelpaw_

Brackentail - golden brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Thornfang - dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Hawksight - mottled brown tabby tom with blue eyes

_Apprentice, Larkpaw_

Spottedfire - calcio she-cat with pale green eyes

Moonshimmer - pale gray, almost white, she-cat with round blue eyes

Stealthclaw - solid longhaired gray tom with amber eyes

Shadowwhisper - black tom with white flecks and blue eyes

Morningmist - stormy gray she-cat with pale blue eyes

Cherrysong - dark ginger she-cat with yellow eyes

Mintleaf - small, pure white she-cat with black paws and green eyes

Crowfur - Glossy black tom with gray eyes

Silversong - silver tabby she-cat with clear blue eyes

Flashclaw - longhaired red-brown tom with yellow eyes

_Apprentice, Oceanpaw_

Ravenflight - black tom with white paws and green eyes

Redfox - ginger tom with amber eyes

_Apprentice, Fogpaw_

Fernflower - light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Mudfeather - white she-cat with brown paws, muzze, and ears and blue eyes

Wolfhowl - pale gray tom with darker flecks and gray eyes

Tanglefur - brown tom with a scruffy pelt and amber eyes

_Apprentice, Rockpaw_

Icepuddle - white she-cat with blue eyes

Tigerfang - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

_Apprentice, Hazelpaw_

**Apprentices:**

Hazelpaw (Hazelgaze) - white and black she-cat with hazel eyes

Kestrelpaw (Kestrelflight) - mottled brown tom with amber eyes

Larkpaw (Larkwing) - brown tabby she-cat

Oceanpaw (Oceanmist) - blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

Fogpaw (Fogcloud) - very pale gray, almost white, tom with green eyes

Rockpaw (Rockfall) - solid brown tom with yellow eyes

**Queens:**

Mossflower - longhaired gray and white tabby she-cat with green eyes,

mother of Stealthclaw's kits: Mellowkit, Mossykit, Mousekit

Emberspark - fiery orange she-cat with white paws

Graybird - stormy gray she-cat, morher of Ravenflight's kits: Stormkit, Badgerkit

**Kits:**

Mellowkit (Mellowheart) - longhaired mottled gray and white tabby she-cat with green eyes

Mossykit (Mossyfern) - gray and white she-cat with blue eyes

Mousekit (Mousefoot) - small, fluffy gray tom with blue eyes

Stormkit (Stormrage) - stormy gray tom with dark blue eyes

Badgerkit (Badgerstripes) - black and white tom with green eyes

**Elders:**

Softdapple - dark toreshell she-cat with green eyes

Firedance - orange she-cat with blue eyes

Mousetail - brown tom with yellow eyes

Smokebelly - frail gray tom with green eyes

Cloudbreeze - white she-cat with blue eyes

**BlazeClan - **

**Leader:**

Brightstar - pretty orange she-cat with white splotches and amber eyes

**Deputy:**

Nightfall - black she-cat with green eyes

**Medicine Cat - **

Sagebreeze - pale golden brown she-cat with faint ginger tabby stripes and green eyes

**RainClan - **

**Leader:**

Lizzardstar - dark gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Deputy:**

Hazelstep - torteshell she-cat with green eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Berrysmoke - white and gray tom with amber eyes

**LeafClan - **

**Leader: **

Otterstar - wiry dark brown she-cat with pale blue eyes

**Deputy:**

Fawnflower - spotted brown and white she-cat with amber eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Redfern - ginger tom with pale green eyes

**The Tribe of Swaying Leaves - **

**Tribe-Healer:**

Gazer Of Shining Stars (StarGazer) - dappled calico she-cat with amber eyes

**Hollow-Guards:**

Fish That Leaps In Air (Fish) - silver tabby she-cat, green eyes

Lightning That Strikes Sky (Lightning) - fiery golden tom with green eyes

Howl Of Strong Wolf (Howl) - gray and brown broad-shouldered tom with yellow eyes

Bear That Prowls In Forest (Bear) - dark brown tom with yellow eyes

Pebble That Ripples In Pond (Pebble) - solid gray she-cat with white paws and green eyes

Star That Dapples Night (Star) - black she-cat with white flecks and blue eyes

Stare Of Watchful Owl (Stare) - mottled white-black-and-black tom with large amber eyes

Mouse At Hunter's Claws (Mouse) - gray tom with pale gray eyes

Flower That Blooms In Meadow (Flower) - white she-cat with creamy brown splotches, green eyes

**Prey-Hunters:**

Lunge Of Hungry Fox (Lunge) - dark ginger tom with amber eyes

Leaf That Floats In Breeze (Leaf) - light brown tabby she-cat

Dash Of Fleet Rabbit (Dash) - stormy gray she-cat blue eyes

Steam That Weaves Through Forest (Stream) - pale gray tabby she-cat with blue-gray eyes

Sun That Burns The Sky (Sun) - flame colored tom with amber eyes

Snag Of Prickly Bramble (Snag) - mottled gray and brown tom with yellow eyes

Tree That Shelters Prey (Tree) - light brown tom, blue eyes

Cloud That Drifts In Breeze (Cloud) - white she-cat with green eyes

Shadow Cast At Dusk (Shadow) - dark gray, almost black, tom with gray eyes

Moon That Lights The Way (Moon) - pale white she-cat with blue eyes

**Kit-Mothers:**

Moss That Grows On Rock (Moss) **Caveguard** - brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, mother of Howl's kits: Mist That Clings On Fur and Growl Of Fierce Lion

Song Of Lovely Bird (Song) **Prey Hunter** - small calico she-cat with yellow eyes, mother of Snag's Kits: Rain That Floods River and Dawn Of New Day

**Kits:**

Mist That Clings on Fur (Mist) **Prey hunter** - misty gray she-cat with blue eyes

Growl Of Fierce Lion (Growl) **Cave-Gaurd** - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Rain That Floods River (Rain) **Cave-Gaurd** - dark gray tom with blue eyes

Dawn Of New Day (Dawn) **Prey Hunter** - small calico she-cat with green eyes

Ember Of Scorching Flame (Ember) **Prey-Hunter** - handsome tom with a flame-colored pelt, green eyes (mother: Frost That Sparkles On Leaf (dead), Father: Lightning That Strikes Sky)

**To-Bes:**

Thush That Nests In Tree (Thrush) **Prey Hunter** - brown and white tabby she-cat, green eyes

Berry That Shines on Bush (Berry) **Cave-Gaurd** - white she-cat with black paws and green eyes

Squirrel On Tree's Branch (Squirrel) **:Cave-Gaurd** - pale ginger tom with a bushy tail and yellow eyes

Trout That Swims In River (Trout) **Prey-Hunter** - sleek gray tabby tom with blue eyes

**Elders:**

Beetle Under Gray Stone (Beetle) **Former Cave-Gaurd** - black tom with yellow eyes

Frog That Leaps On Lilly (Frog) **Former Prey-Hunter** - small brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Grass At Mountain's Edge (Grass) **Former Prey Hunter** - calico she-cat with green eyes


	2. Prologue

"Leave the Tribe of Swaying Leaves alone!" yowled a dappled calico she-cat. Her flank heaved and fresh blood soaked her fur. Her amber eyes, usually warm and friendly, narrowed into slits, and she pulled her lip back in a threatening snarl.

"Why don't _YOU _just leave? Take your filthy excuses of cats with you, Stargazer. Better hurry; nearly half of your cats have died already!" A large brown tabby tom slashed his claws across Stargazer's chest, leaped, and pinned her down. His muscels rippled and every movement was skilled and perfected. "This is the Tribe of Rushing Water's territory now!"

Gazer Of Shining Stars growled, but she realized the truth in the tabby's words. She battered his stomache weakly; strength drained from her muscels and her breath came in short gasps.

The Tribe of Swaying Leaves was no match for the Tribe of Rushing Water. They seemed to have experianced fighting techniques, unlike the Tribe of Swaying Leaves, who had not had practice fighting cats.

Stargazer, the calico she-cat, looked around wildly for any of her tribemates to help. The valley was scattered with the bodies of dead cats - Tribe of Swaying Leaves cats! Stargazer wailed silently -, blood forming a sticky pool around them.

She closed her eyes in defeat and made no effort to get free of the tabby that was pinning her down, pressing her body against the soft grass of the meadow. "You have destroyed my Tribe, Stoneteller. Have our valley, but leave my Tribe alone," she chocked out, barely forming the words with her tongue.

Stoneteller's eyes flashed with victory and a bloodthirsty smile curled on his lips. "Not until I kill their Tribe-Healer!" Stoneteller snarled, his teeth flashed with stained blood, and lunged with Stargazer's throat.

There was a blurr of movement, and a handsome orange tom kit leaped on Stoneteller and sank his tiny kit teeth into the brown tabby tail. "Let go of my Healer!" he squeaked. His eyes were green fire, blazing with anger.

"Ember Of Scorching Flame!" shrieked Stargazer. "Get back to the hollows, NOW!"

Stoneteller whipped around and let out a hiss of fury. "Don't mess with me, kit!"

The tabby tensed his muscels to jump on the young tom, but Stargazer yowled,"Don't you DARE injure an innocent kitl, Stoneteller!"

Stoneteller hesitated but his blue eyes still possesed cold fury. He slowly stepped off of Stargazer up and turned his back on the kit.

"Take your Tribe away from mine, Gazer Of Shining Stars. It was a big mistake letting you stay here in the first place. The Tribe of Swaying Leaves is banished from my mountains; if we find one of your Tribemembers wandering around here, we WILL kill without hesitation - even kits.

Stargazer's eyes flashed and she stood up shakily. She shoved past Stoneteller and gently picked him up the orange kit up by the scruff. "Very well, Teller Of Pointed Stones," she hissed softly through a mouthful of fur. She signaled the survivors of the Tribe of Swaying Leaves.

The Tribe of Rushing Water swiped claws at their opponents' ear one last time before watching them retreat.

All around torn and blood-soaked Tribe of Swaying Leaves cats gathered around their Tribe-Healer, Stargazer, with dull and defeated looks haunting in their eyes.

"This is not the last time you'll see the Tribe of Swaying Leaves," vowed Stargazer, her voice rough and raspy. "You may have killed more than half of my Tribe, but you will NEVER kill our spirits!"With a last lash of Stargazer's tail, she and her Tribe turned their backs on their home and headed towards the forest that lay many pawsteps before them.


	3. Chapter 1: One Less Leg

"Catch this, Mossykit!"

A yowl broke the silence in the DawnClan camp. A small ball of fur darted out of a bramble bush . Her three tiny paws skidded on the slippery, dew-covered ground, and she flung a green object out of her jaws to a gray and white she-kit.

"Nice pass, Mellowkit!" Mossykit mewed as she caught the mossball. She padded over to her sister, Mellowkit, and brushed against her. "You're getting better at throwing every day!" Mossykit dropped the piece of moss at Mellowkit's paws.

Mellowkit's mottled gray and white tabby fur bristled uneasily and before she could reply, a small, scrawny, fluffy gray tom kit crashed into her, his eyes shining brightly and tail lashing playfully.

"Alright, Mellowkit, times up! Where's my mossball?" The tom kit placed one firm paw on Mellowkit's chest, pinning her down.

"Get off me, Mousekit! Or should I say, Mouse_brain_?" Mellowkit purred teasingly and wiggled out from underneath her brother and rolled her eyes. "It's right over there." She pointed with her tail to torn up pieces of green fluff that were gently floating in the breeze.

Mousekit's eyes grew wide and his accusing eyes darted from sister to sister, then finally landed on Mellowkit. "You wrecked my mossball! It was PERFECT for throwing and catching! Free of pebbles and everything!" he wailed.

"I didn't ruin the mossball!" Mellowkit protested, her whiskers quivering slightly. "I didn't even know it was wrecked!"

Mossykit padded to her brother and touched her nose to Mousekit's ear. "Mellowkit's right. She didn't wreck it. And if she did, it was by mistake."

Mousekit ignored his sisters and continued to wail saddly. Finally, he set his eyes on Mellowkit; they were as blue and cold as the lake in leaf-bare. "Why do you have to be so clumsy all the time?" he spat.

Mellowkit's green eyes flashed with pain and in an instant she was nose-to-nose with Mousekit, her pelt trembling with the effort to control herself. "It's not my fault I was born with only three legs,"she mewed softly. "Mossflower and Cinderpool said that it could have happened to any cat; I was just unlucky." Even in the gray, dim light of the early morning, you could clearly see a small stump where her right forepaw should have been.

"And that's why you will _never _be a warrior!" growled Mousekit.

Mellowkit could tell instantly that Mousekit regreted what he had meowed.

"I'm-I -I'm sorry, Mellowkit!" he said hastily, stumbling over his words. "I didn't mean it! I - I was just angry. Mellowkit -" He broke off as Mellowkit walked away with her usual lopsided hop.

"No, don't apologize, Mousekit," whispered Mellowkit, looking over her shoulder. Her eyes were filled to the brim with sadness as she mewed,"You're right, I'll never be a warrior."

"Mellowkit!" This time the voice didn't belong to Mousekit, or even Mossykit.

Mellowkit saw a stormy gray tom with mesmorizing dark blue eyes bouncing her way: Stormkit. Her heart usually glowed when she saw him. Stormkit was nearly as close to her as Mousekit and Mossykit. They had been best friends from the time they could walk, and he always had a way to cheer Mellowkit up when she was upset, probably because he was always so happy all the time. "I don't think even Stormkit can cheer me up this time," she muttered to herself.

"Hiya, Mellowkit!" Stormkit purred and brushed his muzzle against her pelt. He cocked his head to one side and rasped his tounge over her ear. "I heard what you and Mousekit were talking about," he finally said. When Mellowkit had the courage to look into his eyes, she saw that there was understanding and warmth in them, unlike pity and sympathy that she got from other cats in DawnClan. "You up for a game of DawnClan verses BlazeClan? I'll let you be the leader of DawnClan this time!"

"Not right now, Stormkit. I'm not in the mood."

"You sure?" Stormkit asked, then shot up, his eyes sparkling like the sun gleaming down on the oceean. "I almost forgot! Guess what I overheard your father and Stonestar talking about?"

"Do you overhear EVERYTHING that happens in DawnClan, Stormkit?" asked Mellowkit sarcastically, but her ears pricked up and she had to admit that she was interested.

"Did I hear my name in there?" A longhaired solid gray tom came padding towards the kits from the bramble tunnel.

"Stealthclaw!" squeaked Mellowkit and darted to him, breathing in the comforting scent of her father. "You came back from the Pre-Dawn Patrol!"

Stealthclaw nodded and licked his kit between the ears. "Try to keep it down, Mellowkit, okay? You're disturbing the Clan when the sun isn't even up and their trying to get some sleep."

Mellowkit shuffled her paws in the dirt and her pelt grew hot from being scolded by her father, even if he was gentle. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Stormkit dip his head obediently. Stealthclaw was one from the most respected cats in DawnClan apart from Stonestar and Swiftclaw, the deputy.

"Sorry, Stealthclaw," they chorused.

Stealthclaw gave a friendly cuff on the kits' ear before asking," Mellowkit, have you seen your brother and sister? And Stormkit, have you seen Badgerkit? I have something to tell you kits."

Mellowkit and Stormkit exchanged glances. _This is the thing that Stormkit was going to tell me before my father came back_, Mellow thought.

"I'll go get Mousekit and Mossykit," Mellowkit meowed and raced off to look for her littermates.

She found them by the Elder's Den, looking as regal as lions, stetched across the hollow log and listening earnstly to Firedance and Smokebelly tell a story about Tigerfang and Thunderclaw, the ambitious and evil cats that had lived only 5 seasons ago.

"Your father had him cornered right on this very log, young one," rasped Smokebelly. Mousekit's eyes grew wide and he looked at the log he was lying down on, making sure it was real. "Tigerfang slashed at him with sharp claws, he did, but your ol' father can survive anything. He says,'You will no longer harm DawnClan, Tigerfang, or any of the Clans.' And Thunderclaw and Tigerfang just about fled with their tails between their legs, they would have, but your father got them before they knew what hit him." The frail gray tom demonstrated with slashing claws on how Stealthclaw battled the two murderous cats.

"Oh, stop showin' off, Snokebelly," meowed Firedance. "And your exaggerating completely!"

"Why, hello, Mellowkit," meowed Softdapple, a once-pretty toreshell she-cat who was blind in both eyes, who was lying down with her tail over her nose next to her mate, Mousetail. "I heard you commin'. Do you need anything, dear?

"Ummmm, yes" meowed Mellowkit, shaking of the last of Smokebelly's enhancing story out of her mind. It was hard to believe Stealthclaw had faught two of the most ambitious cats in the history of the Clans, and her heart glowed with pride for her father. "Stealthclaw needs my brother and sister."

"What for?" meowed Mossykit as she and Mousekit jumped off of the log and waved their tails in good-bye to the elders. Mellowkit noticed her paws were fidgeting, as if she was too excited and curious to find out what it was.

"I don't know," admited Mellowkit,"but our father just doesn't want to talk to us. He wants to talk to Stormkit and Badgerkit, too!"

"I hope we didn't do anything bad," Mousekit meowed anxiously, echoing Mellowkit's thoughts.

Mellowkit shruggred and bounded over with her littermates close to her paws to a pile over boulders, HighRock, where Stealthclaw, Stormkit, and Badgerkit, a small black and white tom, were waiting.

"What took you so long," asked Stealthclaw, his tail swishing over the pine needles on the ground.

"Smokebelly and Firedance were telling a story about Tigerfang and Thunderclaw," explained Mossykit. "Did you really fight them off single-pawed, Father?"

The gray tom chuckled lightly and cuffed Mossykit over the ear. "Those rambling elders stretch the truth by 50 foxlengths!" purred Stealthclaw. "Of course, I had help from a few cats - your mother included."

"Mom faught th-" Mousekit started asking, but Stealthclaw shook his head and slapped his tail across his son's mouth.

"We're not here to talk about Thunderclaw and Tigerfang," he reminded the kits gently, his amber eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Then what_ ARE _we here to talk about?" interupted Badgerkit. The black and white tom was glaring at Stealthclaw and he was pacing back in forth.

"Don't be rude, you stupid furball!" hissed Stormkit and gave his brother a warning look. Badgerkit just lashed his tail and narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"I have some big news," began Stealthclaw. All at once the kits stopped talking and set their eyes on the great gray tom. Even Badgerkit was silent and his ears perked up. "Your apprentice ceromonies will be held next sunrise."

"No kiddin'!" mewed Mousekit, his eyes shining brighly. "I've been waiting forever!!"

Mossykit purred and bowled over Badgerkit. "Aren't you excited you great big lump of fur!" she meowed as Badgerkit just shrugged. "We're gonna be _PAWS_! 'Mossypaw' has such a nice tune to it, don't you think!"

"_Paws_?" snorted Stormkit, his eyes glittering."Aren't you excited, Mellowkit?" he added as he glanced over at the she-kit who was starring at the ground like it was the newest invention.

Mellowpaw hesistated and looked at Stormkit and her father. "I'll still be an apprentice, won't I?" She hated how she sounded so scared, but what if she couldn't be an apprentice because she was disabled? What would become of her then? Usually cats with special problems became medicine cats, but Cinderpool had Hazelpaw, the small white and black she-cat medicine cat apprentice. Mellowkit couldn't help being relieved that the choice of becoming a medicine cat was impossible now. She couldn't imagine being crammed in a small, stuffy den all day listening to cats complain about stomache aches and treated wounds with bad-smelling herbs.

Stealthclaw hesitated, his eyes glimmering with an unreadable emotion. "Stonestar has decided to train you, Mellowkit. He has had an apprentice that had a crippled leg, and she became a fine warrior. So Swiftclaw, Stonestar, your mother, and I agreed it would be the best choice."

_Has the whole Clan discussed my training, _thought Mellowkit bitterly. _I'm just like any other cat....except with one less leg._

"Who was his apprentice?" Mossykit asked eagerly. Mellowkit's sister scanned the clearing as if she'd expected a crippled she-cat to walk out of no where and take a piece of prey out of the fresh-kill treestump.

"She's in StarClan now," Stealthclaw meowed softly. "Tigerfang killed her. Her name was Dappledstream."

Mellowkit couldn't help noticing that their was a sad, grieving tone to his voice, and as she concentrated harder, it almost sounded like Stealthclaw had LOVED this strange cat.

_But he loves Mossflower, right?_ Mellowkit couldn't help asking herself.


	4. Chapter 2: Stonestar's Faith

Thank you everyone who has read this story so far!!! I cant believe someone had even added this story to their FAVORITES! Thank you Harry Potter 101! :D i didnt know this story was so good! please try to review if you have time!

_Puppyscruffy_

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"Mom! We're clean enough!" wailed Mellowkit, her green eyes sparkling with annoyance. "My fur is sleeker than the fish in the river!"She pulled away from her mother's frantic tounge, her fur aching from being pulled and tugged to perfection and eager to get out of the nursey.

"Foxdug!" spat her mother. "I won't have you looking like a bunch of scruffy rouge kits! Any cat would think I hadn't brought you up properly!" and pulled Mousekit into her grasp.

"You've brought them up beautifully, Mossflower," purred a throaty, familar voice, and Mellowkit whirled around to see her father standing at the entrance of the bramble thicket. He looked like he was going to burst with pride. "My kits are becomming apprentices already!"

Mossflower let Mousekit free - "Thank StarClan!" meowed Mousekit, who recieved a stern look from his mother - and came to sit beside Stealthclaw. "I know," she sighed, and put her head on his shoulder. Something unreadable flashed between the three kits' parent's eyes.

Before Mellowkit could ask about it, there was a small _mrrrrrow! _from her father, and she saw Mossykit surprise unsuspecting Stealthclaw and pull him down to the ground, tugging on his ear."Mossystar has deafeated Stealthclaw!" she declared. Mossykit lashed her tail and glanced around the nursery, seeing if any would would come and question her leadership.

"Get off of your father, Mossykit," meowed Mossflower sternly and picked Mossykit up from the scruff.

"Don't get your tail in a bunch, Mossflower," chuckled Stealthclaw and twined his tail with his mate's. "Mossykit is going to become a fine warrior with a surprise attack like that!" he added and touched his nose affectionaly to his daughter's ear.

Mellowkit sighed and look away. _Would Father ever be proud of ME?" _she wondered silently, and swished her tail on the ground. She tried to avoid looking at the small stump of her leg as she glared down at the moss.

A sharp meow from Mousekit broke Mellowkit from her thoughts.

"I bet I can catch the biggest piece of prey in the whole forest," he bragged. Mellowkit's brother puffed his chest out and stalked around the room, his tail high in the air. "I caught a mouse that had strayed into the nursery before."

"The only thing you caught before, Mousekit, was a mossball!" A stormy gray tom kit had entered the nursery and was bouncing towards his friends. "I just escaped Graybird's tongue," Stormkit whispered into Mellowkit's ear. "My mom was trying to lick my like all of StarClan before I used Badgerkit as a sacrafice; I said he rolled around in fox dung and my mom got as mad as a bee in new-leaf!"

Mellowkit laughed at her best friend's deviousness, and she imagined Badgerkit being scolded by Graybird._ "Poor, annoying furball!" _she grinned to her self._ "No one gets away from Graybird!"_

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around HighRock for a Clan meeting!"

Mellowkit's hard skip a beat as she heard Stonestar's commanding yowl.

_What if something goes wrong? What if Stonestar changed his mind and I can't become an apprentice! _Mellowkit tried to push the thoughts away and she instictfully pushed her self against Stormkit, trying to let his scent free her worries. Stormkit seemed to understand.

Mellowkit felt his hot breath against her ear. "It's going to be all right, Mellowkit." He encouragingly swiped his tongue over Mellowkit's ear before they headed out after Mossykit, Mousekit, Stealthclaw, and Mossflower.

All of DawnClan had come to see the new kits being apprenticed. She saw Crowfur and Cherrysong lying side by side near HighRock. Close by were Mintleaf, Redfox, and Fernflower who were disscussing the recent Clan news. A few pawsteps a way Mellowkit spotted Kestrelpaw, Larkpaw, Oceanpaw, Fogpaw, and Rockpaw, the apprentice's she would be training with.

Mellowkit's pelt felt hot with embarrassment as the five apprentices surveyed her from head to paw, before mumering excitedly in quite mews with their eyes narrowed anxiously. She made her way up to the HighRock, her whiskers trembling, Mousekit, Mossykit, Baderkit, and Stormkit only a few pawsteps ahead of her.

Mellowkit stretched her head up to look at the DawnClan leader. Stonestar's stone-gray pelt was turning a rich orange in the rising sun, and his amber eyes glowed warmly. He looked down at the five kits with a sparkling gleam in his eyes before his gaze raked the Clan with authority.

"This sunrise, we gather together to name 5 new apprentices," Stonestar began. As he spoke, the Clan fell silent, but their was a silent, excited buzz in the camp. Out of the corner of Mellowkit's eye, she saw Badgerkit give a bounce of excitement. "Come forward, Mousekit."

Mellowkit's brother walked steadily up. He looked up seriously up at his leader, but there was no mistaking the excitement that sparkled in his eyes. "From this moment on, until he has received his warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Mousepaw. Brackentail, you are ready for your first apprentice. You will mentor Mousepaw. Brackentail, you have shown your self a warrior of skill and bravery. I'm sure you will pass on all you know to this apprentice."

Mellowkit watched as a young, golden brown tom stepped forward. His eyes glowed proudly as he stepped forward to touch noses with Mousepaw.

The time stretched on until Mossypaw, Stormpaw, and Badgerpaw had recieved their apprentice names and had come to sit by their new mentors Moonshimmer, Wolfhowl and Thornfang.

_I'm the last one left! What if...._panicked Mellowkit, to scared to finish her thoughts.

The Clan become dead silent as Stonestar looked at Mellowkit. She felt at least 40 pairs of eyes set their gaze on her, and she felt a sudden feeling to flatten herself to the ground.

"Come forward, Mellowkit." The gray tom leader's voice was more gentle and soft then he had been to the other apprentices.

Mellowkit stumbled to her paws slowly and came to sit next to Stonestar. She was shaking violently and tried taking deep breaths to calm her self down.

"Mellowkit has everyright to become an apprentice." Stonestar's voice rang across the DawnClan camp. "Though she has only three legs, her will and soul are as powerful as any true Dawnclan cat, and I know she will train well as an apprentice. Mellowkit, from this day on until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Mellowpaw. I will mentor you, and pass on my faith, loyalty and everything I know to you."

Mellowpaw swallowed hard as she looked into her leader, and now mentor's eyes. As she stretched out to touch her nose with Stonestar's, she become unbalanced and collided into Stonestar's nose.

She heard cat's chuckling softly and her pelt burned hot from embarrassment.

_Stupid clumsy mouse-brain! _she spat to her self. Mellowpaw scrambled to her paws and quickly touched his nose, avoiding his gaze.

"Mousepaw,Brackentail! Mossypaw, Moonshimmer! Stormpaw, Wolfhowl! Badgerpaw, Thornfang! Mellowpaw, Stonestar!" DawnClan cats yowled, congratulating the new apprentices. Mellowpaw's name was the loudest of all.

Mellowpaw saw all the new and old apprentices gathering in a cluster. She hopped shly to the group, trying to spot Stormpaw's pelt against the crowd.

"Hi, Mellowpaw," purred a blue-gray she-cat with friendly blue eyes. "I'm Oceanpaw. This is my brother, Fogpaw." She pointed to her tail to a pale, almost white, tom with green eyes who was meowing to Mousepaw. "And that's Kestrelpaw. He's that brown tom you see talking to your sister. His brother, Rockpaw, also known as the most annoying furball in the whole forest, is right next to him."

"I can introduce myself, Oceanpaw," purred a pretty brown tabby she-cat. She padded to Mellowpaw and brushed her tail against Mellowpaw's flank. "I'm Larkpaw. It's going to be fun training with you!"

Mellowpaw gave a feeble nod. "Yeah," she mewed weakly.

"Mellowpaw!" Stormpaw pushed his way through the crowd of apprentices. "Hi! I didn't see you! Isn't this going to be fun! We'll be the best warrior's in the Clan, Mellowpaw, I'm sure of it!"

Mellowpaw smiled, but before she could reply, her mother and father rushed over to her, purring their congrats and affection.

"Your going to be a fine warrior one day, Mellowpaw," Mossflower meowed and licked her kit between the ears, but Mellowpaw could sense her doubt and hesitation.

"I'm so proud of you," added Stealthclaw before he and his mate rushed off to see congratulate their other kits.

Mellowpaw sighed and watched her parents fade into the crowd. "They always feel like they need to treat me special, just because i have three legs. Can't my parents see I'm like any other cat in DawnClan?" Mellowpaw meowed to Stormpaw, but turned around and discovered the gray tom was gone.

She spotted him talking to Rockpaw, discussing the new fighting techniques he would learn. For an instant Mellowpaw felt sudden anger boil up in side of her.

_You'd rather talk to some _normal _cat instead of me? Has everyone deserted me! _she wailed inside her mind, then made an effort to calm herself down.

_Stormpaw will always be my best friend_, she told herself confidently, but even she didn't believe it.

As she headed to the apprentice's den to sort out her thoughts, she noticed Stonestar heading towards her. His muscles rippled under his gray pelt and he touched his nose to her ear.

"Ready to explore the territory?" the DawnClan leader asked her.

Mellowpaw's spirits brightened with the idea of walking through the thick pine forest with her mentor. "This will be my third time -" Mellowpaw hesitated, then scuffled her paws in the dirt. "I mean, my first time going out of the camp." Her heart thudded in her chest as she realized as she almost gave way she had been out exploring the territory with Stormpaw, Badgerpaw, and her brother and sister before when she was younger.

Stonestar let out a _mrrow! _of laughter as he knew what Mellowpaw was going to say. "All kits have adventures," Stonestar told her. "Now let's go!" The gray tom launched him self off his paws and darted towards the bramble tunnel. He threw a glance over his shoulder and saw that Mellowpaw was stumbling behind, hopping awkwardly, trying to go fast. He slowed down to a walk and padded beside her.

"Sorry about that," he purred and cast a worried look at his mottled gray and white apprentice."Please don't try to push your self, Mellowpaw. As you progress in your training, you'll learn to adapt to the way you were born."

Mellowpaw looked down, embarrassed that she was slowing her leader down. The day was starting out horrible, but surely learning the territory would be better?


End file.
